Trussed-beam construction.



EsC. GOVERT. TRUSSBD BEAM CONSTBUGTIN. APPLICATION FILED AUG.2G,1910.

ateutedi Nov. 22, i9?. J.

imrrnn sri/iras PATENT ersten.

EDSON C. COVERT, F NEW' KENSINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRUssEfo-BEAM CONSTRUCTION To all whom it 'may concern).

Beit known 'that I, l'DsoN C. Covnn'r, of Bew Kensington, count); of iVestmoreland,

and State ot Pennsvlvania,have invented-a newand useful Improvement in Trussed- Beam Construction, of which the following is a clear, full, and exact (inscription, refer- 'ence being had totlie accompanying draw-I ings, which form part` specification.

'lfhis inventionrelates to trs'seliam construction, more Vparticularly to the type commonly employing separately formed compression and tension members, comprising 'respectively .rolled -steel flanged and strap like vsections which are united at their respective ends,l andgetweenwhich is interposed a central strutorpost. 1-

lholsters and in which connection is made between the said members by folding-the ends of the tension member over the ends of the compression member.

I will now describe my invention sotliat others skilled in therart to which it appertains may understand and construct the same, referring to the accompanying drawings in which I. have shown my invention as embodied in a truck bolster. I do not, however, desire to limit myself in this respect, as it will be apparent, without necessity ot specific illust-ration, that my-invcn tion is equally applicable to body holsters, brake-beams and other forms of trussed structures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one-half of a truck `bolster embodying my invention;

the terminal portions of the tension and' compression members and the spring seat cast-ing being centrally vertically sectioned;

Fig. isa. side elevation ofthe united ends 'of tlt compressionl and tensionanembers,`

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed August 20, 1910. Serial No. 578,194.

Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

and the spring seat casting; Fig. 3 is a top plan view; Fig. 4.15 a perspective View showing the flanges of the compression member folded upon the tensibn member; and Fig. '5 is a transversesectional view on the line 5 of Fig. L

in vdescribing my invention, the reference .numeral 2 represents the compression mem-` ber,- 3 the tension membeiglll the strut bar or i king -postje-nid 5 a'spr'ingl seat casting car-'lP ried by theend of theunitedcompression and tension members, of a truck bolster. y'

iVhile it will be` apparent thatmy invenf` tion may beapplied to beams or bolsters'y having tension and compression members of' various cross sectional shapes,'I have shownv in the accompanying*drawings and indil cated above, as the preferable embodiment`` thereof, the compressionV memberyas being of {ianged construction andthe tension mem'f' ber 'as taking the form of .a strap. The strut may'be of any Suitable form adapted to bolster service. The compression meniber is of a well-known type being arranged with the web G disposed horizontally andv the flanges 7 projecting downwardly sopas to receive tbe ends of the tension member 3.

rising at each' side ina straight line from.'V

its seat in the base of the strut. l mon to bolsters of this type,. the terminal As is eoifii-l portions of the compression member may be sobent. as to lie in parallelism with the'teir,

sion member.

In my invention each end of the tension member is provided, preferably by` upsetting or forging, Vwith the head portion 8 which carries the angularly disposed shoul-A ders 9' and 10, disposed respectively above and below the body of the tension member, and which respectively/abut against the web. 6 and the flanges 7 of the compression meml ber; the flanges-7 beingfolded inwardly" upon the body of the tension member, as

indicated by the numeral 1l aiid'clearly.r

shown in Fig. 4, after the compression memfv ber has been bowed or cambered and the. tensionjmember has, by means of the shoulq der 9 been temporarily interlockingly fas-l tened to the compression member. This temporary engagement of the compression los member with the tension member pending,...

more positive attachment, obviates the necessity of the employment of lexpensive mafI pressed' o'rc'amb'ere't while effecting unionv ber have been folded upon the tension mem-Y ber, the spring seat casting 'is placed in position-and secured to the umted terminal portions yof the said compression and tension members by means of the suitable rivet 12,

which passes through the said members and the Wall 13^of the member L5. VThis wall 13 lies in facial abutment with theunder face of the tension'member and has the terminal shoulder 14 vwhich abuts against the shoulder 10 'of the compression `meliiber at points lying betneen'the `inturned flanges of the'compression Vmember'. The portions 11, abut ting wall V13 ande-shoulder 174 serve 'to prevent the headS of the tensionl member from beingtorsionally .thrown from the end of the compression? member, under operative stresses,'ai1dv this` reinforcement is augmented by the curvedrwall 15 of the casting 5, which wall is formed complementary and liesunder and in abutment with the lower curved face ofthe 'head 8. As the upper face or wall 13 of the memberj slopes upwardly, it will be apparent that under the enormous loads transmitted to the said cast ing `5, the tendency, Aso to speak, is to urge such casting outwardlyA in facial contact with the under face and abutment with the shoulder 14 of the tension member, as against forces tending to urge the casting in an oppositel direction.

The side walls l'of. the spring seat casting 5\ embrace the sides of the conjoined ends of the compression and tension members and are provided with the usual column guides 17. l

It will be apparent that while I have referred to the member 5 as being a .casting, it may be formed from wroughtl metal as by pressing from sheetv metal, andvthat other changes may1 be made in the construction shown without departing from my invention, and I do not-therefore desire to limit myself thereto. For instance, the compressionfand tension members may vary in cross sectional shapes and lthe princinlc of uniting the said members may find'a different embodiment from that disclosed in the drawings. y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters latent is-- 1. In a. trussed beam, construction, the combination of a connu-essieu member, a strut, and a tension member inengagcmcnt with the ends of the compression member, the compression member haring portions *'olded to underlie the tension member.

In a trussed beam.constriuaion, the combination of a con'lprcssion member, a strut, and a tension member flaring a shoulder in engagement withfthe ends ofthe compression member, the compression member haring portions 'folded to underlie'thc tension member.l

3. ln a trussed beam construction, the combination of a flanged compression member, a strut, and a' tension member in engagement with theend of the compression member, the flanges of the compression member, adjacent to the endsthcreof, being folded inwardly upon the tension member.

4. In a trussed'beam construction, the combination of a flanged compression member, a strut, and a tension member having a shoulder in engagement with the end ot' the compression member, the flanges of the cornpression member being folded npon thc-"tension member at points adjacent' to the terminal portions thereof. V

5. In a trussed beam construction, the

.combinx-ition of a flanged compression member, a strut, and a tension member in engagement with the end of the compression member and lying for a portion of its length substantiallv in parallelism with the terminal portion of the compre lion member, the flanges of the compression member being folded inwardly upon the tension member at points adjacent to the parallel union" of the menzbers.

(5. In a trusscd beam construction, the combination of a flanged compression meinber, a strut, and a tension men'ibcr lying substantially parallel with the end of the compression member and having a shoulder in engagement with the end of the compression meniber, the flanges of the compression member heilig folded upon the tension member at points adjacent the parallel union of the members. A

7. .ln a trusscd beam construction, the combination of a flanged compression member, a strut', and a tension member having its terminal `portions interposed between the body and inwardly folded flange portions of the emnpression member and having shoulders in abutmentwitli the terminalportions of the body and liapgc portions.

S. fn a trusscd beam construction, the combination ol. a flanged compression member, a-strut, a tension member in engages ment with the ond of' a compression nicmbcr, the flanges ot the compression member being folded adjacent their ends,'inwardly upon the tension iin-inbei', and a casting secured to flic terminal portions of the coniprcssion and tension members.

Si. In a trussod beam consti'uetion', the eon'ibination of a flanged compression memmensea combination of a Banged eonipression member, a strut, a tension member in engage ment with the end or'ltheieompression mem- 4dier, the fianges'of the compression member beine' folded ad'acent their ends inwardl l5 a d upon the tension member, and a casting secured to the terminal portions ofthe compression and tension members and having a shoulder lying in abutment with a shoulder 20 of the tension member.

11. l'n a trussed beam construction, the

combination of a flanged compression member, a strut, a tension member in engagement with the end of the compression memT 25 ber, the flanges of the compression member for a, portion of their length being folded 10. In a trussed beam Construction, the

inwardly upon the tension member, and a casting secured to the terminal portions of the compression and tension members and having a face disposed between the inturned flanges of the compression member and a shoulder in abutment with ay shoulder of the compression member.

12. In a trussed beam construction, the combination of a flanged compression member, a strut, a tension member having a shouldered terminal head engaging With the end of the compression member, the flanges of the compression member being folded 1n Wardl)7 upon thentensiou members at points adjacent to the terminal portions thereof, and a casting secured to the terminal portions of the compression and tension 1nem bers and having recessed 'face lying in abutment with the head of the tension member. l

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

EDSON C. OUVERT. Witnesses M. A. KELLER, ANNA R. BnA'r'rY. 

